Railway-car-truck spring



June 17, 1930. c. HANKINS RAILWAY CAR TRUCK SPRING 2 SheetsSheet l I Filed June 15, 1925 3144x141 or June 17, 1930. c, HANK|Ns 1,764,163

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK SPRING Filed June 13, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2 P 6 /2 77 i /B 17 1 1a UNITED STATES PATENTFOFFICE CYRUS HANKINS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOIQBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T '1. H. SYMINGTON AND SON, INC., 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A GOREORA'IION 0F MARYLAND RAILWAY-CAB-TRUCK srnme Application filed June 13, 1925. Serial No. 36,975.

The invention relates to spring devices for railway car trucks.

The principal object of theinvention, generally stated, is to provide a spring device for use in connection with railway car trucks embodying a sectional casing or housing enclosing and confining cushioning means, the sections being connected to permit relative movement under compression. The object of the invention, more specifically stated, is to provide a spring device or structure particularly adapted for mounting within the window opening of a railway car truck, the device including casing sections serving to house and confine cushioning means, the sections being connected to permit relative movement under compression, the connecting means also act-.

ing to limit separating movement of the sections, to maintain the cushioning means under initial compression and to prevent displacement of the cushioning means in all directions other than vertical. 1

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spring device or structure of this character in which the cushioning means preferably consists of elongated concentric plate or leaf springs confined between the casing sections andthe connecting means therefor. v 1..

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device or structure of this character in which the casing sections are provided internally with means to withstand the chafing action of the cushioning means, the sections themselves being conse quently relieved of wear. v

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a spring device in which the wear taking up means and the casing section connecting means are all of such formation and so arranged and located as not to interfere when compression of the cushioning means occurs, all, furthermore, coacting to maintain the cushioning means in the proper position to insure efficiency in the operation. To the attainment'of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, such as will insure efiiciency and durability, the inveneach other.

tion may consist in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference are usedto designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of a truck frame showing the springdevice in applied position.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the asscmbled and complete device removed from the truck side frame.

v Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through the spring device, the view being taken on substantially the line 33 of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a View partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, taken along substantially the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of Figure L. I

Figure 6 is adetail perspective view of one of the corner plates.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the transverse top member.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates, generally, a truck side frame having the usual window openings? within which is located the cushioning or spring device designated generally by the numeral 3, this device being interposed between the spring seat 4 and the bolster 5.

In carrying out the invention, the cushioning device 3 may consist of upper and lower pans or casing sections 6 of similar construction well capableof being formed as stampings, the material. being preferably low carbon rolled steel plate. These pans have peripheral flanges 7 extending toward. Interposed between the pans and partially enclosed thereby is the cushioning means which preferably consist of one or more sets of plate or leaf springs 8 arranged in any desired number of super posed banks or groups, the number of such being immaterial. lVhile in the present instance there is a definite arrangement disclosed it should be distinctly understood .that'there isno particular limitation in this either their central or their end portions in contact so as to be compressible under load to provide resilience.

For taking up wear resulting from chafing by the spring during movement thereof in travel, use may be made of wear plates 9 located within the corners. of the pans at the ends thereof. These wear plates are likewise capable of being formed as stampings and may in actual practice be of harder material than the pans or casing sections. These plate members 9 are of angular formation and include portions 10 hearing against the inner faces of the pans and other portions 11 bearing against the end flanges thereof, these portions 11 being cut away, as shown at 12, for a reason to be explained. At the ends of the portion 10 are extensions 13 which engage against the side flanges of the pan or casing sections. When the various groups or banks of springs are in place it is clear that they will be located within the plate members 9 so that they will not contact with the pans or casing sections themselves.

To prevent any possible contra-fiexure of the uppermost spring elements, it is preferable to make use of an inverted U-shaped cross member 14 disposed transversely within the upper pan or casing section and engaged by the central portions of the topmost spring plates or leaves.

Subsequent to the assembling of the parts it is highly desirable that means be provided for holding the parts in position and preventing separation of the pans or casing sections and for this reason I preferably make use of tie members 15 located against the inner walls of the flanges 7 and having laterally extending ends 16 passing through slots 17 formed in the flanges. These tie membersare preferably ofthe same material and thickness as the wear plates 9 and those at the ends of the pans or casing sections are arranged within the cut-out portions 12 of the wear plates, while those at the sides are arranged between the extensions 13 of the wear plates and the ends of the transverse central member 14. By this arrangement it will be seen that when compression occurs and the pans or casing sections are moved toward each other there will be nothing to interfere with movement of the ends 16 of the tie members along the slots 17.

In the actual construction, the tie members 15 may of course have their ends 16 initially extended at right angles or one end may be left straight. In the first instance it would be necessary to spring out the flanges of one pan member or casing section to effect assembling and in the latter instance it would be necessary to bend the previously straight end after the parts are assembled. However, this is a manufacturing detail which may be easily varied to suit circumstances or at the notion of the manufacturer.

The entire assembly is mounted in an obvious manner within the window opening 2 and for preventing displacement the pan members or casing sections may have outstruck projections 18 thereon adapted to fit within corresponding recesses or holes, not shown, in the spring seat and bolster 5.

In the use of the device it will be apparent that when different weights are brought upon it, as will occur in service, the spring members will be compressed to a greater or less extent, the pans or casing sections moving toward orfrom each other as the case may be. Compression is limited to the point at which the springs go flat or become solid and expansion is limited by the engagement of the lateral ends 16 of the tie members with the ends of the slots 17 along which they travel. The tie members and also the wear plate 9 actually engage against the leaves or platesof the cushioning means and not only serve to confine the movement of the springs but also take up the wear caused by chafing sothat the pans or casing sections themselves will not be injured even after prolonged service. Owing to the particular arrangement of the tie members, it will be seen that the leaf or plate springs cannot become displaced nor can the pan members have any movement other than toward or from each other.

Attention is directed to the fact that the ends of the springs in the lowermost banks or groups bear upon the plate members 9. There isa distinct advantage in this feature namely: the concentration of the strains at the ends or sides of the window opening in the truck side frame instead of the strain coming upon the center. This relieves the frames as the solid loading of the spring plates is concentrated at the ends.' The top center plate 14 will of course act to eliminate or prevent any reverse bending or flexure of the top plates.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and easily assembled andinstalled spring device capable of use in connection with already existing truck frames without involving any changes or alterations therein or additions thereto. It is likewise evident that the device will function efficiently to provide the necessary and desirable resilience and that the construction, arrangement and combination of parts such that durability will'be assured.

While I have shown and describeda preferred embodiment of the invention, it

should be understood that I reserve the right to make all such changes and alterations in the details as will widen the field of utilitg and increase the adaptability, provided suc modifications constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims'hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a railway car truck spring structure, upper and lower spaced casing sections, cushioning means located therebetween, and link means engaging against the cushioning means and slidably connected with both casing sections for permitting relative vertical movement in one direction and limiting separating movement.

2. In a railway car spring device, cushioning means, a sectional casing therefor, and link means within the casing permitting vertical displacement of the cushioning means under load, said last named means cooperating with the sections of the casing and the cushioning means for preventing lateral displacement thereof in any direction.

8. In a railway truck spring mechanism, a collapsible and expansible sectional casing, cushioning means located within the casing, and means within the casing and slidably connected with both sections thereof for permitting expanding and contracting action thereof, said means being located outwardly of the cushioning means to prevent lateral movement thereof in any direction.

4. In a railway truck spring mechanism, a casing formed of sections, cushioning means located between the sections, and means located outwardly of the cushioning means for restraining the same against lateral displacement, the cushioning means confining said last named means against the casing.

5. In a railway truck spring mechanism, casin sections, tie members slidably connecting the sections to permit movement thereof toward or from each other, and cushioning means located between the sections and confined by said tie members, the cushioning means preventing inward displacement of the tie member's.

in a railway truck spring mechanism, a casing formed of sections, link means slidably connecting the sections to permit movement thereof vertically, cushioning means between the sections inwardly of said link means, and means located within the sec- 7 tions in engagement with the cushioning means to prevent contact thereof with the CRSHW sections.

t. in a railway truck spring mechanism, flan ed casing sections arranged with their flanges extending toward each other, tie means slidably connecting-said sections at the flanges thereof and restricting relative movement to the vertical, wear receiving means located and enclosed within the sections, and. cushioning means/arranged between the. sections in engagement with said i wear receiving means. i

8. In a railway, truck spring mechanism, flanged casing sections arranged with their flanges extending toward each other, tie means slidably connecting said sections at the flangesthereof and restricting relative movement to the vertical, wear receiving means located and enclosed Within the sections, and cushioning means arranged between the sections in engagement with said wear receiving means, said tie means engaging the cushioning means for preventing horizontal displacement thereof.

9. In a railway truck spring mechanism, a casing including spaced pan members arranged with their open sides toward each other, cushioning means located between said pan members, the flanges of the pan members being formed with slots, and tie members located within the. pan members and having lateral ends projecting through said slots to limit separating movement of the pan members, the tie members being slidable with respect to both pan members' .10. In a railway truck spring mechanism, acasing including spaced similar pan members arranged with theiropen sides toward each other, cushioning means located between said=pan members, the flanges of both pan members being formed with slots, and tie members located within the pan members and having lateral ends projecting through said slots to limit separating movement of the pan members, said tie members being engageable by the cushioning means for restricting movement thereof to the vertical.

11. In a railway truckspring mechanism,

aj-casing including upper and lower pan members having flanges and arranged with their open sides toward each other, angular wear receiving members fitting within the end portions of the pan members, groups of elongated leaf springs located between the pan members and engaged within said wear receiving members, and means movably connected with the pan members for preventing transverse and longitudinal displacement of the spring members.

12. In a railway truck spring mechanism, a casing including relatively movable up per and lower pan members, angular wear members located within the end portions of the lower pan member, and groups of elonill) gated leaf springs located between the pan members, the ends of the lowermost groups resting upon said wear members whereby loading strains willbe communicated to the ends of the pan member and to the ends of a truck Window opening in which the mechanism is disposed, strain at the center of the window opening being eliminated.

13. In a railway truck spring mechanism,

upper and lower pan members, a plurality of groups of elongated plate springs located between the pan members, and a transverse element extending centrally ofthe upper pan member and coacting with the uppermost springs to prevent reverse bending thereof. r

14. In a railway truck spring mechanism, upper and lower pan members, wear members in the corners thereof elongated plate springs located between the pan members in engagement with the wear members, and means on the underside of the upper pan member coacting with the top of the spring assembly to prevent reverse flexing thereof.

15. In a. railway truck spring mechanism, upper and lower pan members, a plurality of groups of elongated plate springs located between the pan members, angular wear members fitting conformingly within the upper and lower pan members for preventing contact of the springs therewith.

16. In a railway truck. spring mechanism, upper and lower pan members, angular wear members located within the pan members at the angles thereof, cushioning means located between the pan members and formed as elongated plate springs having their ends engaging said wear members, thepan members having flanges formed with slots, tie members having portions extendin through said slots, and said wear members being cut away opposite the slots 'to accommodate the tie members.

17. In a railway truck spring structure, spaced pan members, wear plates of angular form located at the angles thereof, a group of elongated plate springs located between the pan members and in engagement with said wear plates, tie members slidably connecting the pan members at the sides thereof and said wear plates being of dented form to provide projections located between the tie members.

In testimony whereof I afiix signature.

I CYRUS H NKINS. 

